Robert Reginald Tuttle

Born: 9 July 1892

Died: 17 September 1916

Rank and Regiment: Private 1814 in the 6th Cyclist Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment

Resting Place: Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France - Plot IV. M. 10.

Memorials: St. Mary’s, Cranworth, United Kingdom

Robert was born in Southborough 1892 to parents James and Sarah Ann Tuttle. In the 1901 census, James records his occupation as teamster on a farm. The couple also have 3 children named William (aged 15, working as a bricklayer), Edith (aged 11) and of course Robert.

In September 1910, Robert married May Leanora and they had a daughter, named Edith Maud Tuttle born on Christmas Eve, 1910 in Attleborough. By 1911 he was working as a farm labourer and living in Hingham with his wife “Lenora May” (when she signed the receipt for Robert’s medals after the War, she signed herself “May Leonora”). They went on to have three more children in Attleborough: Robert Edgar (b. 28 January 1913); Sidney William (b. 2 May 1915) and Reginald Cecil (b. 29 December 1916).

On 11th January 1915, Robert enlisted and joined the territorial force as a Private in the 6th Cyclist Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment. He is recorded as being fairly tall for the time standing at 5ft. 9 inches. He began his training shortly after enlistment and had a largely exemplary record. However, between 12th and 23rd April 1916 Robert was absent from base and docked pay.

Nonetheless, this did not affect his career as on 11th July 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal. On the 26th, he embarked from Folkestone to Boulogne before finally joining his regiment on 7th August 1916. Just over a month later he was tragically killed in action 17th September 1916 aged 24. He was buried at the Delville Wood Cemetery in Longueval, France. The inscription on his grave reads:

NOT GONE FROM MEMORY

NOT GONE FROM LOVE

BUT COME TO OUR FATHER’S HOME ABOVE

His personal effects included letters, cards, photos, a broken watch with a chain, a broken mirror, a notebook, a sick card, a dictionary, 2 religious books, a Gilette blade and an empty box. These were left to his wife, as was his army pension. In 1916, upon learning that she was pregnant by Robert, May wrote a heart breaking letter to the pension office asking for an increase in allowance. She writes:

"“Sir, I am very sorry to inform you that I expect shortly to become a mother again, this has been a bitter blow for me losing my dear husband, but I hope the Lord will give me strength to bear it for my dear children’s sake. They will never remember [their] Daddie,. [It is] very very hard believe me […] Yours sincerely, May Leonora Tuttle.”

She was finally awarded the sum of 24s. and sixpence a week taking effect from 2nd April 1917. She also collected his Victory and British War Medals on 19th December 1921.

Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France